On seeing Romania from afar

Retired university professor Allan Cruse became a fan of Romania during a visit there in the summer of 2011. Since then he has frequently written emails to his colleagues and friends about people and events in that country, as gleaned from online newspapers and internet blogs -- plus several return visits. This webpage collects a few past examples.

• Sixty-thousand "poor" people pay over $45 each for a concert-ticket
  
• A "Super-Awesome Micro Project" was unveiled in Melbourne today
  
• Passionate high school writer gets a US college opportunity
  
• Forbes Magazine recognizes two computer science undergraduates
  
• Female professor at MIT develops robots that can "self assemble"
  
• Recently famous painter now is chosen to represent his country
  
• A "medical breakthrough" is made by a 17-year-old CS student
  
• Despite many dislikes, he wouldn't want to leave his country
  
• How FACEBOOK lures a celebrated young software developer
  
• A "model" to inspire a new generation of leader-entrepreneurs?
  
• Europe's tallest 14-year-old gets signed by a basketball club in Rome
  
• A "full house" in Bucharest for San Francisco's Symphony
  
• Discovering a place where a bookstore still can thrive
  
• LA-based international fashion retailer is moving further eastward
  
• A Music Academy grad who's opening eyes, ears, and hearts
  
• Can a skydiver play his violin while parachuting?
  
• A university dropout now is bringing 100 new jobs to New Mexico
  
• Informatics olympian aspires to exert a positive impact on humans
  
• How an engineering professor switched her focus to marketing
  
• The traffic policeman who has 150,000 fans on Facebook
  
• Stanford takes a chance on an "unqualified" researcher
  
• Tonight an unusual public square Valentine-day offer
  
• The former engineering student who's become a bartending mentor
  
• Meet this 20-year-old who is leading a new civic movement
  
• A new train that symbolizes hope for citizens' aspirations
  
• How 7th-Graders won Honeywell's Global Car Design Competition
  
• Her 'Bear Dance' photo won National Geographic's top award
  
• A television journalist who's functioning as an agent of change
  
• Can a college dropout become a millionaire by blogging?
  
• An American 8th-grader drew a name that changed his future
  
• East LA teenager brings home some design-ideas from abroad
  
• Did you know who invented the 'ZipLoc' plastic bag?
  
• A new asteroid was discovered last month -- a first for this nation
  
• A nice story coming out of Dallas this morning
  
• The airline stewardess who has calmly survived crashes twice
  
• Hollywood will honor a 60-year acting career this week at SEEfest
  
• Can a filmmaker highlight a social issue -- on a tight budget?
  
• On yesterday's four-hour "live" worldwide webcast from Vienna
  
• She endured critics, proved her worth -- and now is getting a raise!
  
• The Roman Catholic Church versus the office tower developers
  
• An acclaimed chef is accused of employing fraudulent software
  
• Bay Area game firm leases 10-floor office tower beside tech campus
  
• How a school-founder compels the world's media to pay attention
  
• A childhood injury that has sparked a medical innovation
  
• Well, well, the times -- they are a changin'
  
• A few personal childhood connections I learned about this week
  
• A reaction to the 'Alianta' Gala Awards Dinner in Washington DC
  
• Twenty-six dead so far in a Bucharest nightclub explosion last night
  
• A survivor of the Bucharest nightclub fire describes the scene
  
• An unconventional hero is one of two whom the President honoured
  
• Graphic artist for "The Day We Die" is 48th nightclub fire victim
  
• Public grief and rage in the disco club fire's aftermath
  
• Subway hours extended to accommodate midnight demonstration
  
• A few more updates from that nightclub fire's aftermath
  
• A former monarch imparts some wisdom to today's young people
  
• Another explosion yesterday, another death, and protests continue
  
• This Texas-based firm wants to hire 1000 Romanian programmers
  
• A 21-year-old artist who has moved to France to pursue his dream
  
• The USA has commented on Sunday's presidential election
  
• President says Foreign Minister should have resigned sooner
  
• Tonight's street-protests by thousands have turned jubilant
  
• Media attention now turns to a new "first lady"
  
• The accidental discovery of a 12-year-old IT "genius"
  
• Resourceful teen said "Good-bye" to Foster Care, "Hello" to Harvard
  
• How our country's Independence Day was celebrated abroad
  
• Greenpeace activists dig for gold in the lawn at Parliament Palace
  
• An unemployed taxi driver who was on "a righteous crusade"
  
• Why were U.S. soldiers and combat vehicles at this mall yesterday?
  
• Engineering battalion from Alabama helps build roadway in Europe
  
• Another 8-th Grader who is studying CS at the university-level
  
• Would you close down this city's busiest subway station?
  
• An opera singer showcases the unusual automobile he built himself
  
• A teenage swimmer who is focused on winning an Olympic medal
  
• Eyes are watching to see if citizens will embrace a national project